CHALLENGE 1: Deprogramming in 100 words or less

[Zhavric]

You're in a coffee shop. You're at a party. You're playing softball. You're in an elevator You're at the gym. You're anywhere where people hang around.

You've politely acquired the attention of a stranger or aquaintance whom you know to be Christian.

You now have 100 words to either deprogram them or set them on the path to being deprogrammed.

Christians see the story of Christianity as a benign tale of righteous suffering that just happened to be miraculously recorded and passed down through the generations. Most of them see the gospel authors and early Christians as impartial and completely trustable "bloggers" who are only writing down what they've seen & heard. Christians aren't willing to examine their religion for the propaganda it is. They'll scoff at Scientology as L. Ron Hubbard's get-rich-quick scheme gone wrong. It never occurs to them their own religion is absolutely no different.

So, in one hundred words, how do you convince them of this?

A hundred words isn't a lot and there are a lot of pitfalls to consider. Come off as too forceful or forward, and they'll resist.* Present your argument more sympathetically and you'll appear weak. Go over a hundred words and you'll probably lose their interest. You don't want to give them time to argue. You want to present something that attacks the Christian meme and causes them to rethink their convinctions.

Christianity is the cure people don't need (salvation) for the disease they don't really have (sin). Remember that Christians are utterly convinced that they're (in a sense) terminally "sick" and Christianity is their "medicine". So what do you say to convince them they were never sick to begin with?

That is the challenge of this thread. Let's hear your 100 words.


*Remember that Christianity has exalted belief in the absence of reason.

[Whitney]

100 words or less is hard especially since what could be said would vary depending on what sort of Christian belief that person holds...is that person fundamentalis or liberal and how much do they know about their own religion?  Anyway, I'll have to think about it because I know what sent me down that path isn't going to be what would have the same effect on others.

[Tom62]

I find it a waste a time to preach atheism to a christian. If christians start to preach to me, I simply tell them that I'm not interested. Should they still continue then I tell them kindly to bugger off.

[Big Mac]

eh, I don't see a big deal if someone is christian, just keep it away from me and anything my tax dollars go to. Oh and it's kind of gay to focus on a naked guy on some wood.....lots and lots homoerotic parts in christianity.

Was that less than a hundred words? No? Yes? Maybe? I like you, do you like me?

[Whitney]

You know, if someone could be started down the path to deconversion in a 100 words or less they'd already have to be leaning that way in the first place.

I'm not much for trying to deconvert them either...if they start the conversation I'll give my opinion but see absolutely no need to seek out targets for deconversion.

[McQ]

I know what would work!

Death Threats! Something like, "If you don't deny your religion, we'll feed you to the ions in the arena!"

[joeactor]

I know what would work!

Death Threats! Something like, "If you don't deny your religion, we'll feed you to the ions in the arena!"

"Hey, are you sure we're ions?"

"Yup... I'm positive!"

[McQ]

I know what would work!

Death Threats! Something like, "If you don't deny your religion, we'll feed you to the ions in the arena!"

"Hey, are you sure we're ions?"

"Yup... I'm positive!"

Damn my fingers and my eyes!

"Lions"

Ok, now the already weak joke is further ruined.  :oops: